Arena Acier, are you okay? Are you okay? Are you OK, Acier??!

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Cybernetic Arm

Ace caught the keycard without even looking at it, just a clean upward snatch of his hand. He didn't praise him He was, however, visibly impressed. His brows lifted a fraction. That was basically thunderous applause by Ace standards.

Blaster fire screamed across the chamber. Ace jerked his head toward the sound to see a second Besalisk, thundering in through the rear corridor, all four arms raised, all armed. Great. Another one.

Drifter's shout cut through the chaos. Ace didn't waste the breath it would take to argue. He sprinted immediately toward the lockers, only for a blaster bolt to slam into the floor inches from his foot.

He slid the card through the slot with a smooth, practiced motion. The panel chimed, lights shifting from red to green. Tic sat on the shelf, powered down but intact. Ace's chest went tight for half a second. Relief. He reached in, retrieving the BD-unit first, then his lightsaber.

Behind him, blaster fire kept escalating, Drifter trading bolts with that second Besalisk like it was a competitive sport he'd trained for his whole life. A crate disintegrated next to Drifter's head.

Ace clipped his lightsaber to his belt, fingers precise, shoulders settling into alignment.

"Don't lose!" He called back, flat as stone.

Then he said it louder, over the roar of the Gundark, the Besalisk, and Drifter's increasingly unhinged commentary:

"Because if you lose, I'm not carrying you."

Ace didn't wait for Drifter's inevitable comeback, he was already turning back toward the remaining lockers, sparks and blaster fire throwing stuttering shadows across the chamber.

Ace grabbed the next locker panel, the keycard scraping through the slot in one precise motion. Another chime, another green light. Inside: Drifter's gear. But... no Farrus Sphere.

Ace stared at the absence for half a second. He didn't sigh, but the silence around him somehow conveyed the emotional equivalent of course it wouldn't be this easy.

He nudged Drifter's weapons out of the locker with his prosthetic, sliding them across the floor and right into Drifter's reach without even looking. Then he stepped to the next locker.

"Please." He muttered under his breath, not pleading, just… bargaining with probability. "If that sphere's is actually real, now would be the time."

He slid the card into the slot. And Ace froze, waiting to see what fate, or the Force, had decided to put inside.

Drifter​

 

[Drifter]

​

Somewhere in Black Sun Territory
Interacting With: Acier Moonbound

Blaster fire peppered the crate Drifter was hiding behind, scattering sparks across his visor like angry fireflies. He sprang up anyway, returning fire with the flair of someone who absolutely believed style points mattered in a gunfight.

A bolt scorched the wall an inch from his head.

He gasped dramatically.

[ I won't lose! Of course I won't lose! ]

Another bolt zipped past his ear.

Drifter ducked so fast his helmet clonked the crate.

[ I'm too pretty to lose! ]

And it was there in that moment, when the 'verse made sense again -- because across the floor sliding with the perfection of a holovid close-up was his gear.

And Drifter's whole body went electric.

[ Oh come to papa! ]

He snagged one of the blasters mid-slide, whipped it back toward Ace with a flick, and summoned the Force into his free hand. His saber leapt cleanly into his palm like it was returning home.

Then joy, just pure and unhindered joy bloomed under the polarized helm as he activated his blade with a snap hiss, the citrine blade sizzling into existence. Without further ado, Drifter hit the locking toggle and threw the entire saber ritght at the Besalisk

The Besalisk saw it coming and crossed two of its beefy arms to try to block it -- bad idea.

The saber sliced through one limb like it was cutting muja fruit. The scent of burnt flesh filled the air as the brute howled, clutching the cauterized stump.

But Drifter was already firing. Bolt after bolt slammed into the Besalisk's torso, jerking its body like a puppet having the world's worst dance lesson. It toppled with a seismic thud.

The saber arced back toward Drifter's outstretched hand and pull of the Force. He caught it without looking, deactivating it with the smug satisfaction of a man in a holo-serial who absolutely rehearsed that move alone in his ship.

Which he had totally done -- so many times.

And with that, the Hunter sheathed it and turned to Ace with a pleased hum.

[ Great job kid… now where is my… wait. Is that my Farrus Sphere? ]

Drifter practically dove onto the fallen Besalisk, spotting the familiar metallic orb clipped to its belt.

[ Thief! That's mine! ]

He yanked it free and immediately inspected its casing for scratches like a worried parent checking a toddler for bruises.

[ Rude! ]

Then his visor snapped toward Ace, energy buzzing through him like he'd been plugged into a generator.

[ Alright kid, I don't know about you, but let's get out of this place! ]

But he wasn't done.

Oh, no.

A Hunter always finishes what he starts.

Drifter turned toward the Gundark, writhing, snarling, thrashing against its chain, with the absolute delight of someone who should never be left unsupervised, the hunter tossing the Farrus Sphere once in his palm.

Twice.

[ Come to daddy. ] he uttered out in a low growl, hurling the sphere right at the Gundark.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic | Cybernetic Arm

Ace didn't shout. He didn't even bother with a "don't." He just… closed his eyes for half a second. A full-body, silent I knew this would happen exhale.

Because that sphere Drifter was on about earlier? He'd had just absolutely thrown it with no warning. When Ace opened his eyes, the metal orb was already mid-air. Heading toward the Gundark.

When Ace opened his eyes again, the orb was mid-air, pulsing with a wound in the Force. The Farrus Sphere hit the ground beside the Gundark, and Ace felt the Force twist. Inward.

A vacuum-pull of warped gravity latched onto the Gundark like a hook. The beast screamed, claws digging trenches in the floor as it tried to resist, but space itself betrayed it. Ace's eyes widened a fraction. The Gundark's body distorted, pulled into a funnel of collapsing light, and then it was gone.

Ace stared at the only thing left behind, the sphere.

"…That was not a grenade."

He'd ask Drifter more later, but for now? He needed to wake Tic back up. He pressed the power node and the BD-unit chirped to life with a shaky, confused trill.

"Hey, buddy. Missed you." Ace murmured.

Tic crambled up Ace's arm, anchoring himself against his shoulder. After a moment, Ace looked at Drifter - brow raised.

"What did you just do to that Gundark?" Then he glanced over to the sphere "And what is... that?"

After that, Ace started moving, Drifter could explain while they got the hell out of dodge.

Drifter ​

 

[Drifter]

​

Somewhere in Black Sun Territory
Interacting With: Acier Moonbound

The Ferrus sphere clattered to the floor and pulsed like a pet that just ate something it shouldn't have.

Of course, Drifter strutted over to it with the swagger of someone who absolutely planned that. He scooped up the sphere with a reverent little hum, turning just in time to hear Ace mutter that it definitely was not a grenade.

[ Oh, Inari the Reviver, no no no. Not a grenade. ]

The Hunter waved the sphere lightly as Ace went to retrieve Tic. Drifter tossed the droid a two-finger salute, visor tilted in a wink.

[ Hey buddy. Looking good. ]

Ace asked the inevitable question... and Drifter answered like a man showing off a new speeder.

Without further ado, he popped the sphere up and down between his hands, very clearly moments away from juggling with it.

[ This is a Ferrus Sphere, kid. Lets you stash a Sithspawn or some wild critter in a teeeennnny tiny little space. Think of it like a pocket dimension baggie for dangerous things you want to smuggle past customs. You just gotta get him out before he gets cranky. Then you toss him in a proper cage... ]

He paused with smug satisfaction, thinking to himself, and then made some credits. A lot of credits.

Behind them, the Reek and Nydak screamed again in that kinda bone-rattle roar and screams of other individuals that said round three was getting spicy.

[ Okay, time to move. Let's get out of— ]

A crackle burst through his helmet's comm. Drifter froze. Alex's voice filled his ears in that furious sensual, but terrifying tone.

[ Just where have you been?! I have been trying to reach you for HOURS and you have not responded. I cannot even locate you, where are you?! ]

Drifter winced under the helm. Ace probably saw the whole body flinch. Only Drifter heard her but the reaction was universal language.

[ Whoa whoa whoa. Chill, Alex. I can hear you just fine without you vaporizing my ears. Must finally be in a spot where the signal's working. How about you give me directions on how you can pluck us off this rock, eh? ]

Another furious burst of sound blasted through the comm. Drifter jerked like he touched a power coupling, giving Ace a sheepish, exaggerated grimace. After a second, he thumbed his comm off before she could scorch his soul again, then pointed ahead.

[ Okay kid, just follow me. Got someone who can pull off a pick up. We just gotta get above ground. Looks like we landed ourselves in some kinda underground fight ring. ]

He tossed the Farrus Sphere once more, caught it, then attached it to his hip and strode forward with the confidence of a man who absolutely had no idea where he was going but would pretend otherwise until the galaxy cooperated.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic | Cybernetic Arm

Ace watched Drifter juggle the Farrus Sphere. The explanation didn't make it better. Not even a little. A pocket dimension. For creatures. That he… smuggled?

Ace blinked once. "That can't be ethical." He said flatly. "Or stable."

He exhaled through his nose and kept moving. Tic chittered uneasily on his shoulder, photoreceptor flicking toward the sphere like it personally offended him. Ace couldn't blame him.

Then Drifter froze. A burst of angry comm static crackled through the air, loud enough that even Ace winced second hand. He didn't hear the words, but he didn't need to. Drifter's whole body reacted like he'd been struck by lightning and guilt at the same time.

Ace watched the flinch, the panic, Drifter thumbing the comm off like extinguishing a small house fire.

"So there is someone that can keep you in line."

He promptly followed close behind Drifter. The corridor rumbled faintly as the Reek and Nydak roared through another collision behind them. Dust drifted from the ceiling. Pipes creaked. Something structural groaned in a way Ace did not appreciate.

"Underground fighting ring. I could've told you that." He said dryly, laced with sarcasm. "Do you even know how get above ground?"

Tic chirped sharply, claws tightening on Ace's shoulder. He halted mid-stride, hearing footsteps above. Then, metal on metal. Someone was sealing exits. Of course. But it meant they were getting close at least.

A blast shutter clamped somewhere deeper in the complex, followed by the whine of a lift mechanism powering up.

Ace's hand went to his lightsaber. Eyes narrowing at the corridor ahead as the lift doors began to grind open through dust and failing lights.

"Incoming."

Drifter​

 

[Drifter]

​

Somewhere in Black Sun Territory
Interacting With: Acier Moonbound

[ Ehh… stable as it can be. Ethics, well, depends on perspective. Is it ethical to leave this big guy down here snatching people like appetizers? Or is it better to take him with me and give him a fresh new purpose in life? ]

Drifter started gesturing with both hands like he was giving a very heartfelt, very important lecture on moral philosophy.

Totally not because he was imagining the credit payout.

One Gundark. Fifty thousand credits.

Fifty. Thousand.

Sweet, stable, ethically questionable credits.

He nodded sagely to himself -- very ethical. Totally.

Unfortunately, morality class was interrupted by blaster fire screaming past his head.

[ What in the Nine Hells, why is everyone trying to shoot us?! ]

He threw his arms out dramatically like he was being personally wronged by the entire planet. Though now that he had his gear again, he recovered quickly from the theatrics, that dusty polaized helm tilting toward the lift opening.

[ Guess that's our exit to the top, kid. ]

Drifter practically vibrated as he cracked his neck.

[ Let's go with style. ]

The Hunter palmed his saber, and the citrine blade snapped to life with an eager hum. In the next instant, Drifter darted forward like a man launching into his favorite episode of his own chaotic life.

The lift door slid open, revealing three guards. Two had heavy blasters and one had an electro staff. Didn't take long for a storm of bolts exploding their way.

Drifter grinned like a lunatic under the visor and spun his saber up with theatrical flair, deflecting bolts back in brilliant arcs of sizzling light.

One guard took a rebounded shot straight to the side and dropped with a howl. The other two panicked, plastering themselves against whatever cover they could find and firing pot shots.

There was no missing the rather giddy, if slightly unhinged cackle from Drifter.

[ Ohhhh you made a mistake. I got my mojo back. ]

The Bounty Hunter advanced through the blaster storm with the confidence of a man who absolutely believed he was invincible now that he had his toys again.

Which was, frankly, a problem for everyone else in the room.

Now if they could only nab those guys and get to the lift.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic | Cybernetic Arm

Ace didn't dignify the ethics lecture with a response, he knew Drifter was full of it. He was already moving as the blaster fire lit the corridor, sliding in behind cover as Drifter surged forward like a man freshly reunited with his bad habits.

The lift doors were open. Guards entrenched. Drifter was… thriving.

Ace ignited his own lightsaber and stepped out just in time to deflect a bolt that would've taken Drifter in the side, then another that screamed toward the lift's control panel.

"Focus." Ace called flatly, not raising his voice. "They're stalling."

One of the remaining blaster guards broke cover. Not smart. Panicked. Ace saw the shift before the man fully committed and moved into it.

His lightsaber snapped up in a sharp, angled deflection that sent the bolt screaming into the wall. The guard tried to recover, stepping in too close, blaster swinging up like a club.

Ace was already there inside the man's reach. One short strike to the wrist severed the guard's hand. The follow-up was immediate, a clean diagonal strike across the sternum and he folded to the floor instantly.

Ace didn't look down. He turned instead, toward Drifter, assuming he took out the remaining guard.

He advanced a step, eyes flicking to the lift, then to the ceiling supports above them. Too narrow for comfort. Too many angles. Reinforcements would come fast once alarms finished cycling. Tic chirped sharply, projecting a flickering scan over Ace's shoulder, incoming movement deeper in the complex.

Ace backed into the lift without taking his eyes off the corridor, blade still humming as Tic's projection flickered warnings across his shoulder. He reached out with his free hand and palmed the control panel, the lift doors starting to slide shut with a protesting whine.

Ace finally glanced toward Drifter, expression flat but expectant.

"Let's go."

The doors closed the rest of the way as the lift lurched upward, alarms echoing faintly through the shaft. Ace deactivated his lightsaber but stayed planted at the front, ready for whatever waited when they reached the top.

Drifter​

 

[Drifter]

​

Somewhere in Black Sun Territory
Interacting With: Acier Moonbound

[ Thanks! ] Drifter called out as Ace saved his hide from getting an extra hole that would be of no use to anyone. Only to smirk after as he continued, saber flashing, blaster barking, and bad habits coming back like old friends who never judged him for poor life choices.

[ Oh I am focused, kid. I am extremely focused on not dying and looking good while doing it. ]

Then the alarms cylcled through all kinds of angry, wailing around them as they flashed red. It was the sort of noise that promised a whole lot more people with grudges.

Tic chirped. Ace moved. The lift doors started closing,a nd Drifter felt it then, that familiar spike of oh no.

[ Alex. Alex! Now would be a fantastic time to show up. Like, miracle-of-the-gods fantastic. ]

Static crackled and for half a second, nothing. NADA.

Then her voice snapped into his helm, sharp and annoyed.

[ You only just pinged me. I need at least three minutes. ]

Drifter's stomach dropped.

[ THREE minutes?! Alex, sweetheart, that is an eternity in murder-time! ]

[ Hold your position. Do not die. I am on approach. ]

The comm cut, the Hunter let out a savage curse. UGH! He thought to hiimself, swiveling as he turned to stare at the closing lift doors, then at Ace, then back down the corridor where more boots were already pounding closer.

Three minutes.

Three minutes of every pit-fight operator, guard, and pissed-off syndicate thug coming to reclaim their evening entertainment.

Feth it.

He dove into the lift just as the doors sealed with a metallic shriek. The platform shuddered and began its climb, alarms echoing faintly up the shaft.

Drifter braced himself, panting slightly, then let out a breathy laugh.
[ Three minutes. Sure. Easy. Totally survivable. ]

He rolled his shoulders, checked his blaster charge, thumbed his saber back on just enough to hear it hum as the lift rattled upward toward the surface.

[ Alright, kid. When those doors open, we hold ground, we scare the hell outta whoever's waiting, and we stall like professionals. ]

He flashed Ace a grin under the polarized helm, all teeth and trouble.
[ And if this goes sideways… remind me to bill Alex for emotional damages. ]

The lift climbed and above them daylight waited.

And so did whatever was still angry enough to try and stop them.

A pause then Drifter swiveled that polarize helm at Ace.

[ Oh, guess this is a great time to introduce myself. The names Drifter, kid!]

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic | Cybernetic Arm

Ace only heard Drifter's side of it, but the pause said everything. Three minutes. No extraction yet. Just pressure.

"Two of us." Ace said quietly, more to the lift doors than to Drifter. "One is dangerous. Two evens the odds."

The lift shuddered as it slowed. Blaster fire crackled faintly beyond the doors - guards repositioning, nervous, ready. He felt it all through the threads of the Force.

"Stalling only tires us out." Ace continued, tone flat and settled. "We bulldoze through them instead. 'Till help arrives."

When Drifter finally introduced himself, only then did Ace finally look at him. Tic settled against Ace's back, trilling curiously before Ace spoke up.

"Ace."

He angled himself toward the opening, hand resting on his lightsaber. When the doors split open, Ace moved the instant light flooded in. His lightsaber ignited mid-step, a clean snap-hiss, and he surged forward into the corridor as blaster bolts screamed toward them.

He didn't dodge, he redirected. One bolt rebounded into the ceiling. Another snapped back into a wall-mounted console, showering sparks. A third never reached him, carved out of the air with a short, brutal arc.

Ace advanced through the fire like it wasn't slowing him down, blade flashing in tight, efficient movements. He closed the distance, forced the shooters back, and struck, driving them off balance with relentless pressure.

A blaster bolt screamed in low and he caught it on his blade, angling the deflection just enough to send it ricocheting into the floor at the shooters' feet. They scattered, but it only widened the angles.

Ace stepped through the opening and reached out with the Force, a precise lateral pull. One guard was yanked hard out of cover, boots leaving the ground just long enough for Ace to close the distance and cut the blaster in half with a single clean stroke. The man hit the deck and stayed there.

Another bolt came in from the side. Ace twisted, blade snapping up to catch it, then flicked his wrist. A loose crate tore free from the wall and slammed into the shooter's cover, folding durasteel and sending sparks and debris across the corridor.

He pressed forward again, relentless now. Lightaber low. Force coiled tight. The hallway filled with noise, alarms, shouted orders, blaster fire... and somewhere just off his flank, there was room. Space. Opportunity.

Ace didn't claim it. He left it open for Drifter to fight by his side. He advanced another step, blade flashing, Force already reaching for the next opening as the fight widened beyond just him.

Drifter​

 

[Drifter]

​

Somewhere in Black Sun Territory
Interacting With: Acier Moonbound

[ Ace, eh? ] Drifter replied with an arch of a brow beneath his dusty polarized helm, giving a slight swagger even as the lift rumbled.

[ Not a bad name, kid. Seeing how you've been handling yourself just fine all this time. Well played. ]
There was some genuine appreciation in that cocksure tone coming from the Hunter's modulator.

Of course, that was not the only thing about to come out of Drifter's modulator shortly.

Oh no.

For the Hunter knew that to really get into the flow of what was coming next, they had to drop a beat.

Drifter did not give Ace any warning.

Instead, as the lift doors pulled open and Ace went all out like a mynock out of the Nine Hells with saber and the Force alike, Drifter was right behind him.

The first strains of a guitar riff crackled to life, and Drifter leaned into it like the universe itself had queued his entrance music.

Then came the drop of the drumbeat.

....and then came Drifter's singing.

[ So, this ain't the end, I saw you again today… I had to turn my heart awayyy. ]

Citrine saber ignited in perfect sync with the kid's movements. Drifter surged out of the lift, saber catching a blaster bolt and sending it ricocheting back into a guard's chest plate. The man went down hard, armor smoking. Another bolt came in high. Drifter ducked, pivoted, and brought his saber up to split the shot and carve a molten groove into the wall behind it.

He spun into position at Ace's back, hips swaying, head bobbing, like this was just the two of them in their own adventure holoflick. Taking names. Showing off.

Then, at the top of his lungs, utterly unashamed:

[ Gonna buuuurn buuuurn burn burn burnnn it to the wiiicckkk… ]

A heavy blaster roared from the far end. Drifter dropped to one knee, saber angled just right, catching the shot and redirecting it into a stack of crates that exploded outward in a storm of debris.

[ Barracuda! ]

Only a mere two minutes out now... how bad could this get??

Tic whisled, rolling on behind to duck behind a crate just as a pair of thermal detonators were chucked their way.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic | Cybernetic Arm

Ace did not react to the singing. Not because he wasn't aware of it, he absolutely was, but because reacting would've required processing it, and he refused to do that on principle.

The first thermal detonator hit the floor and Ace moved instantly. The Force snapped outward in a sharp, controlled burst. One detonator skidded hard across the deck, kicked sideways into a pillar just as it detonated, the blast blooming away from them in a concussive roar.

The second lifted cleanly off the floor, yanked mid-roll and hurled back down the corridor where it vanished behind cover in a flash of fire and screaming metal.

Ace advanced through the smoke without slowing, blade flashing blue to catch another bolt and send it screaming wide. He felt the rhythm now, Drifter at his back, chaos blooming outward, the pressure building fast.

"Two minutes." He muttered flatly.

He stepped into the next opening, deliberately leaving space beside him, and let the fight widen again.

Ace continued in the smoke before it cleared. He cut left, blade sweeping low to take the legs out from under a charging guard, then pivoted through the motion and sent the man's blaster sailing down the corridor with a sharp telekinetic snap.

Another bolt came in fast and close. Ace redirected it, and followed through with a Force-assisted shove that slammed its owner into the wall hard enough to dent metal.

A crate lifted off the floor behind him and hurled forward, exploding into cover and forcing the next shooters back. Ace stepped through the opening it made, lightsaber cutting clean arcs that ended the resistance without slowing him down.

Tic chirped urgently from his cover, projecting fresh movement converging from two side corridors. Ace felt it too, and maybe Drifter as well: boots, weapons, nerves tightening on triggers.

"One minute." He said, calm as ever.

He adjusted his stance, blade low and ready, Force coiling again as he angled himself to hold the choke point just long enough.

Drifter​

 

[Drifter]

​

Somewhere in Black Sun Territory
Interacting With: Acier Moonbound


Drifter was still mid-lyric, saber flashing as he danced a blaster bolt off the wall.

[ Gonna burn, burn, burn-- ]

The song died in his throat.

A distant thoom rolled through the hangar as another turbo lift slammed to a halt, then the doors slid open with a hiss.

And out stepped Mr. Big beefy Gen'dai. Skin like knotted cable, grin split wide with manic delight. And the armor… oh yeah, Drifter knew that shine anywhere.
Phrik.

And just like that, the Hunter felt his stomach drop.

Oh feth.

The Gen'dai roared and charged all mass and momentum clearly intending to turn Drifter into paste.

[ Alex, we don't have a minute! We need you now! ] he barked into the comm, already moving to intercept.

He slid sideways just as the Gen'dai tried to body-check him, boots skidding as he barely avoided being flattened.

Drifter snapped his visor toward Ace.

[ Kid, saber ain't gonna work with this one. We're gonna need teamwork! ]
He ducked another wild swing, sparks flying as phrik scraped against durasteel.

Gen'dai. He hated Gen'dai. They never stayed down.

Blaster fire erupted again from the flanks as more goons poured in, and the Gen'dai laughed like it was the best day of his life.

Static cracked in Drifter's ear.

[ Almost there. Thirty seconds. ] Alex snapped.

[ Make it twenty! ] Drifter shot back, firing point-blank into the Gen'dai's chest more to annoy than injure.

The Gen'dai staggered half a step, then grinned wider, lunged again, and it was then that the big guy managed to drop Drifter with a solid body slam that winded the Hunter, and fuck that hurt.

Then the world shook.

A familiar roar thundered overhead, drowning out alarms and gunfire alike. Floodlights cut through the smoke as Kaylee's Shadow screamed in low, ramp already dropping.

The ship spat covering fire in a blistering arc, forcing attackers to scatter or drop.

Well except for Drifter. He was still dealing with Mr. Big and Beefy, trying to pop his head off with an arm lock.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic | Cybernetic Arm

The instant the Gen'dai stepped out, Ace felt his stomach sink. Not fear, but recognition. Red's voice echoed somewhere in the back of his mind, half a dozen stories told in cantinas or Vergeworks' streets. Don't try to kill them. You won't. You survive them. Gen'dai didn't go down. They just… kept coming. Limbs regrew. Bodies reknit. You could carve them apart and all you'd earn was time.​

​

Ace adjusted his grip on his lightsaber, jaw tightening. Drifter was right, not much a lightsaber could do here. The brute slammed into Drifter a heartbeat later, all mass and momentum, and Ace moved instantly.​

​

Above them, a Sicarius stealth yacht roared overhead, floodlights cutting through smoke as covering fire forced the rest of the pit to scatter. This was it. Their escape. But... of course, Drifter was a little pre-occupied.​

​

A lightsaber wouldn't kill the Gen'dai, but it'd slow him down. Ace surged forward, coming in low and fast. He didn't aim for the torso. Didn't waste the effort. Instead, he carved a precise, brutal arc across the Gen'dai's upper limb, severing it clean through. The limb hit the deck still twitching, the momentum broke just long enough to matter.​

​

It'd regenerate. In seconds probably. But hopefully it was enough for Drifter to get free. Ace followed through immediately with a sharp Force-assisted shove that drove the Gen'dai back a step, then another, creating the space Drifter needed to breathe.​

​

"Let's go!" Ace barked.​

​

He broke into a sprint, Tic following close behind, boots pounded across the deck as the yacht's ramp lowered through smoke and falling debris. Blaster fire stitched the ground behind him, the Gen'dai's bellow echoing in his wake.​

​

Ace hit the loading ramp at full speed and didn't look back.​

​

Drifter​

 

[Drifter]

​

Somewhere in Black Sun Territory
Interacting With: Acier Moonbound

Drifter hit the deck hard, the Gen'dai's mass slamming into him like a runaway speeder. The breath left his lungs in a wheeze and stars burst across his visor. Big mistake, he thought dimly. Huge. Gen'dai-sized mistake.

The brute reared back to finish the job.

Then blue light flashed.

Ace carved through one of the Gen'dai's upper limbs in a clean, surgical sweep. The severed arm slapped wetly against the floor, still twitching like it hadn't gotten the memo. The Gen'dai roared, staggering back as his face twisted in anger.

Drifter did not waste the opening.

The Hunter gave a roll, scrambled to his feet and came up in a half-crouch just as Ace slammed the monster back with the Force, buying him precious space.

[ I owe you a drink for that, kid! A big one! ]

Above them, the roar of engines shook the pit. Floodlights cut through the smoke like daylight punching a hole through the Nine Hells themselves. Kaylee's Shadow screamed overhead, blasters barking, sending pit fighters diving for cover.

That was the cue.

And just as Drifter turned to run he immediately regretted it.

The Gen'dai lunged again, already regenerating, a fresh limb knitting itself together with horrifying speed. A massive hand closed around Drifter's arm and yanked him back hard enough to nearly dislocate his shoulder.

[ Oh no you don't! I am DONE with you! ]

He twisted, fired point-blank into the Gen'dai's face more out of spite than hope and then drove his boot into its knee. It barely slowed the thing, but it loosened the grip just enough.

Drifter tore free and bolted.

Blaster fire stitched the ground around his feet. The Gen'dai bellowed behind him, pounding after them, each step shaking the deck. The ramp was right there, Shadow's engines howling, Alex flying low and hot to keep them alive.

[ Alex! Now would be a GREAT time to go! ]

[ I am literally waiting on you! ] her voice snapped back over the comm.

Drifter hit the ramp at a full sprint just as the Gen'dai lunged one last time. Fingers scraped the back of his armor, tearing fabric, nearly dragging him back into the pit.

He flung himself forward.

Hands grabbed him. The ramp started to lift. The Gen'dai slammed into the edge of it, giving a snarl as he reached for Drifter, but missing by inches as the Shadow surged upward.

With dramatic flourish, Drifter sprawled onto the deck with his chest heaving, laughing like a man who couldn't believe he was still alive.

[ Haha… hahha… I karking hate Gen'dai. ]

The ramp sealed. The engines roared. The pit dropped away beneath them as Alex punched the throttle and sent Kaylee's Shadow screaming into the sky.

Drifter rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling, then turned his helmet slightly toward Ace.

[ Well Kid...welcome to Kaylee's Shadow. ]

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic | Cybernetic Arm

Ace exhaled in relief, then turned to see if Drifter was close behind. That's when he saw it, the Gen'dai regenerating, lunging for his newfound ally. Then his hand closed around Drifter's arm. Hard. Too hard. Ace felt it in his teeth, in the Force, like a spike driven sideways.

Drifter fought like hell. Shot him in the face. Kicked the knee. Ugly, desperate, but effective enough to matter. Ace didn't breathe until the grip broke. Then Drifter was running again.

Ace backed up instinctively, boots planting wider on the ramp as blaster fire chased Drifter's heels. The Gen'dai thundered after him, every step shaking the deck, and for one awful heartbeat Ace thought it was going to drag him back anyway.

Drifter hit the ramp at full sprint. The Gen'dai lunged. Fingers scraped armor. Ace's hand shot out on instinct, the Force flaring, not enough to stop the Gen'dai, but enough to pull, to tip the balance just that final inch. Drifter flew forward and the ramp started to lift shut.

The sudden quiet... relative quiet, hit harder than the chaos. Engines roared. Gravity shifted. The pit vanished beneath them. He didn't laugh. Didn't slump. He just stood there for a second, chest rising and falling as Tic climbed fully onto his shoulder, chirping in relieved, frantic bursts. Ace reached up without looking and steadied the little droid with two fingers.

Only then did he glance over at Drifter, sprawled and alive.

"Yeah..." Ace said, dry as ever. "Heard they're hard to get rid of."

He clipped his lightsaber back onto his belt, posture easing now that the danger was behind them... or at least no longer clawing at their heels. Ace looked around the ship, taking it in with a quick, assessing sweep.

"Nice ride." He added simply. "Good job on not dying." Ace concluded with a nod.

Drifter​

 

[Drifter]

​

Somewhere in Black Sun Territory
Interacting With: Acier Moonbound

Drifter lay there for a beat, staring at the ceiling like it might still drop a Gen'dai through it just to spite him.

Then he groaned.

Loudly.

He rolled onto his side, pushed himself up, and made a whole production of stretching. One shoulder. Then the other. A careful twist at the waist. A slow bend of the neck, testing every ache and bruise like he was checking inventory after a bad crash landing.

[Ahhh,] he muttered, then hissed. [Nope. Nope. That's new. ]

Tic hooted from nearby, launching into a rapid-fire series of anxious chirps. Drifter waved him off through the modulator as if trying to appease him.

[ Oi, oi, oi. Look, we're all in one piece. No need to go frettin'. ]

'Course that was when the intercom crackled again, and Alex's voice slid through the ship, smooth, smug, and just a little too pleased with itself.

[ I told you this was a bad idea. ]

Drifter planted his gloved hands on his hips and sighed like a man who knew this was about to turn into a whole thing.

[ Well, Ace, 'fore this one starts harpin' any more, meet Alex. Alex, meet Ace. ]

There was no pause.

[ At this rate you might as well start charging for galactic transit. ]

Drifter rolled his eyes beneath the polarized helm and shook his head.
[ Don't mind her. She's an ornery one. Thinks she runs the place. ]

The reply came instantly.

[ I fly this ship and make sure you stay alive! ]

Drifter spread his arms wide and offered a half-hearted shrug.

[ Eh. Minor technicality. ]

The heavy snort sound from the intercom clearly indicated Alex was pissed.

[ Alright, let's get settled in. ] He told Ace with a gesture, still giving a wince or two. It was then that he started towards the main common area, motion sensors activating and illuminating the corridor. They were gunmetal gray, but a closer inspection would reveal the high quality of the material. It was lived in, but not your standard smugglers' haven.

Further, up ahead would reveal a small clearing, the living area, currently blocked by Drifter's body. The living area was a curious cacophony of.. well stuff. There was a large half-moon couch along one curved end of the room. It had a dejarik table in front of it. There were shelves with various knick-knacks secured down, a few trinkets, a few Gree talismans, a Corellian Jedi coin, some Mandalorian, Witch, and Jedi paraphernalia, and even Sith alchemy tomes and scrolls right next to some scattered datacrons on a table.

It was a hodgepodge of technology and tribal decor, with a thick fur slung over the couch, the remains of some animal bones on another table, and what could only be considered to be a collection of rocks and some scales on top of another. A lightsaber workbench along with another that clearly indicated the Hunter was a crafter of sorts. The entire place also had a distinct woody and herby smell, a mixture of cedar and lemon mint.

[ Welcome to my humble abode. Feel free to drop your bag -- ]

[ Drifter! ] Alex yelped from the right.

[ What?! ] he shot back, swinging around in mock annoyance.

Floating in the hallway from the cockpit was a one-eyed, repulsor-lift droid with a single large ocular sensor.

Alex.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic | Cybernetic Arm

Ace slowed as the droid drifted into view. He'd been expecting a person. A pilot. Someone organic-shaped. Instead, the single ocular sensor blinked, steady and assessing, hovering there like it owned the ship. Ace paused for a moment.

"…Huh." He said softly.

Tic chirped back at Alex instinctively, a curious little trill, and Ace let it happen before resting a hand on the BD-unit's casing. He gave the droid a small nod.

"Good flying." He said, simply.

He turned back to Drifter then, posture finally easing now that the danger had truly passed. No urgency left in him. Just direction.

"When you drop me." Ace said, calm and certain, "Kijimi. Northern quarter. I'll give you coordinates."

Ace's eyes flicked once more around the ship as they moved, the gunmetal corridors giving way to a living space that felt less like a hideout and more like a crossroads. Relics sat beside tools that were clearly still used. Jedi, Mandalorian, witchcraft, Sith alchemy, clearly not displayed for reverence or rebellion, just… coexisting. Souvenirs maybe.

There was also a couch worn in the way people actually sat on it. A workbench scarred by careful hands. The air smelled faintly of cedar and lemon mint, grounding, familiar. This wasn't a ship built for one life. It was built to carry many.

"Thanks for the lift." Ace added, dry but genuine. "And… the timing."

He leaned back, shoulders lowering, Tic curling closer against his neck as the engines carried them forward. For now, that was enough.

Drifter​

 

[Drifter]

​

Somewhere in Black Sun Territory
Interacting With: Acier Moonbound


A series of words shot through Drifter's mind at the mention of Kijimi.

Cold.
Mean.
Expensive.
Figures.

Alex hovered a little closer, her green ocular sensor whirring as it processed the destination.

[ I can plot a course to Kijimi and plot towards the Northern quarter. ]

Drifter didn't even look at her when Ace answered on where he needed to go.

[ See? Told you he was polite. ]

Alex immediately drifted higher and her tone grew sharper despite the sensual huskiness of her voice modulator.

[ And you! You almost got killed. Again! ]

Drifter pinched the bridge of his nose beneath the helm and exhaled slowly.

[ Almost is not dead. Important distinction. ]

[ You were in an illegal pit fight. With a Gen'dai! And I heard something about a Gundark. ]

[ Details. ] The Hunter waved a hand in surrender before she could escalate, then turned back to Ace with an apologetic tilt of his head.

[ Sorry about that. She nags because she cares. Deeply... aggressively. I blame my sister for coding her personality matrix so and locking me out from tweaking it.]

Alex made a pointed electronic sound that absolutely meant you're sleeping on the couch.

Of course, Drifter ignored it. Tic, however, found it entirely intriguing and perhaps a bit hilarious.

[ If you wanna wash up or grab some food, you're welcome to it. Spare cabin's down the right. ] He added as he jabbed a thumb down the corridor.

[ Just ignore the plushies and the weird mechanical knickknacks. And if one of 'em wakes up and pokes you, that's normal. Mostly. ]

Alex chimed in sweetly.

[ Please do not antagonize the maintenance units. ]

Drifter snorted.

[ What she means is don't feed 'em after midnight. ] Drifter added, giving a roll of his shoulders as he finally felt the adrenaline finally bleed off and the exhaustion creeping in around the edges.

[ Kijimi it is. I'm due for a shower that doesn't involve blaster fire, and maybe something hot to eat that isn't ration paste. ]

The engines shifted tone as Alex adjusted their heading, stars stretching as they jumped onto their new course. That dusty polarized helm glanced back at Ace.

[ Just holler if you need anything. Otherwise, we'll get you where you're going nice and smooth. ]

Alex drifted closer again.

[ Smooth is subjective. ]

Drifter sighed, already walking toward the direction of his cabin and more importantly, the fresher.

[ You see what I deal with, kid. ]

And just like that, Kaylee's Shadow cut through hyperspace, carrying two survivors, one nagging droid, Tic and a new drop of at Kijimi.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Black Sun Space

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic | Cybernetic Arm

Ace watched the exchange play out with the faintest lift of a brow. The bickering, the threats, it felt oddly domestic. But he didn't interrupt. When Drifter gestured down the corridor, Ace gave a small nod.

"I'm good." He said simply. "I'll stay put 'till we drop."

He glanced once more at Alex as the stars stretched and snapped into hyperspace. A droid pilot. Figures. Ace inclined his head again, respectful. Tic chirped, swiveling his photoreceptor toward the drifting stars like he was trying to memorize them.

Ace leaned back against the bulkhead, arms folding loosely as the hum of the engines settled into something steady. Exhaustion finally caught up to him, not the bone-deep kind, just the quiet reminder that he was still alive.

He looked down the corridor where Drifter vanished, then back toward the cockpit glow. With that, Ace went quiet, letting hyperspace carry them forward. One thread was ending, and another was already tugging him toward what came next.

-END-​

Drifter​